By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-18 18:25:49 | Updated at 2026-06-18 20:13:04
1 hour ago
England manager Thomas Tuchel has secured a victory off the pitch at the World Cup after he complained about being blocked by photographers ahead of last night's 4-2 victory over Croatia.
Tuchel was left upset that as the Three Lions sang the national anthem, he was swarmed by photographers, meaning he was unable to see his own players.
'I'm begging FIFA to change the position of the photographers, because I could not see my team [during] the national anthem, and I was waiting for this moment,' he said after the game.
However, Daily Mail Sport can reveal that FIFA will change their pre-match protocol after Tuchel's grievances.
Instead, coaching staff will now move down the touchline so they can watch the national anthems with an uninhibited view.
In a video that captured the stand-off, Tuchel looked furious with the snappers and could be heard to say: 'Very close guys, you're very close. You're very close I cannot see anything.'
Thomas Tuchel was left fuming with a group of photographers at England's World Cup opener
Tuchel was upset that he couldn't see his own players when they sang the national anthem
The German then gestured with his arms and looked to make his way past them before he stepped back and linked arms with the rest of his staff as 'God Save the King' started.
He instead chose to look up at the stadium's big screen to see his players.
When the national anthem ended, Tuchel confronted the photographers, who were right in front of his dugout, for a second time, and gestured to someone off camera about how close they were.
He could be heard to say: 'What is this?,' and he muttered something else to himself.
Tuchel again complained about their positioning until he went back to stand in his dugout for the Croatia national anthem.
'It was a very, very special moment today and I was standing in front of 50 photographers half a metre away and I could not see one single player,' Tuchel added.
'It ruined a little bit my experience today.'
Meanwhile, Tuchel's fury wasn't reserved for the photographers in Dallas, with his brutal half-time team talk widely credited for England's impressive second half as they secured a victory in their first game of the tournament.
His side had been twice pegged back in disappointing fashion, with the score level at 2-2 at the break.
'I sat down with them,' he explained. 'I gave them quiet time for themselves. I told them to calm down. We just conceded a goal. Calm down, calm their nerves and (then) encourage them to do it our way.
The England boss couldn't believe how close the photographers were to England's dugout
'I told them that my perception of them and of the last 17 days will not change of this result.
'I said that no matter what the result is, I want them to do it their way, our way. I want them to be brave, courageous, intense, on the front foot, and do it together, and, and just go for it, and, and try to take it, and be active.
'I encouraged them. It was short, it was calm. If they say it helped then even better. But that was the main message: to just encourage them and tell them that we trust them and there is nothing, nothing to fear. It was 'we're gonna go for the win' and 'be active'.'
Tuchel continued: 'We were not brave enough. But I loved the reaction after half-time. We deserved the win but it was emotional. (At half-time) I just tried to reinforce. I said even if we lose, let's do it our way.’
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